Former White House Photographer Throws the Best Shade

It’s a beautiful Friday in spring (at least where I am), so let’s take a quick break from all the heavy news to ponder some top notch shade throwing. Here is how Merriam Webster defines the phrase:

Shade is a subtle, sneering expression of contempt for or disgust with someone—sometimes verbal, and sometimes not. It appears in the phrase to throw shade…

The example I’m about to share really zeros in on the idea that it is subtle.

The thrower I have in mind is Pete Souza, who was the White House photographer for the entire eight years of Obama’s presidency. Via his Instagram account, Souza has been doing a masterful job of throwing shade since Trump’s inauguration. I thought I’d share a few examples.

The day Trump announced his Supreme Court nominee:

When Trump fired FBI Director James Comey:

When a meme circulated that Melania shook off holding hands with Trump:

When Pope Francis didn’t seem very pleased in a photo op with the Trumps:

When Trump shoved aside the leader of Montenegro to get to the front row for a photo op with NATO leaders:

One of the things a lot of people don’t know about Pete Souza is that he was also the White House photographer for Ronald Reagan. I mention that because it isn’t altogether clear that this shade throwing is a matter of partisanship. He seems to have a lot of personal admiration for Obama and, when it comes to Obama’s successor, I’ll simply refer you back the definition above.

Newsletter

Get a weekly dose of our best stories in your inbox.

Sign Up-register for our free Weekly Wrap-Up newsletter.

Special Report

Special Report: 5% of the population accounts for 50% of all health care spending. They are the key to health care reform.

Successes of Philanthropy

Successes of Philanthropy: The investments and innovations that are making a real-world impact, as told by the foundations and philanthropists themselves. A sponsored project by the Washington Monthly.